Plot: All of the kids lined up to play this new video game called the “Wild Side” at the local arcade. It was so special because it used holograms to create new lands to play in. Something went terribly wrong, however. Instead of the kids beating the boss, the boss escaped and beat them! Now the kids are trapped somewhere within this holographic world–all except one. The coolest, most skilled video game player on the block aims to beat this boss and rescue his peers. His name? Kid Chameleon!

The story for Kid Chameleon is far’fetched and forgettable, but this is one classic platformer you don’t wanna miss out on. You begin the game as The Kid; he runs and jumps like your standard early 90’s era platformer. By breaking boxes, though, you can obtain masks and transform into uniquely different characters. This might sound a lot like Mario because this was Sega’s response to the platform juggernaut Nintendo had created. The difference is Kid Chameleon allows you to transform into 9 different forms and has a lot more levels than a Mario game. This could be good or bad depending on your taste. In Kid Chameleon you collect diamonds instead of coins; when you collect enough diamonds you can perform special powers depending on which form you are in. I am in no way saying Kid Chameleon is better than the Mario games, but I feel this game has an array of unique features that set it apart from Mario. Therefore, if you are a classic platformer gaming fan, you need to check this game out. The sole reason I believe this game did not explode in popularity is that it did not have a password system or save feature. With over a hundred levels it is mind-blowing that the creators decided to leave out these features from the game. I have good news though; Kid Chameleon is included in the Sonic’s Ultimate Genesis Collection game that can be bought for the Xbox 360 or PS3, and it has a save feature. Sonic’s UGC was released in 2009 and can probably be bought for around $20 at your local gaming store. That’s pretty much all I gotta say about Kid Chameleon. It is a great platformer with some unique qualities. Plus, it has a lot of depth of enemies and levels to entertain you for hours. Check out the rest of the post for detailed analysis on each of the mask forms The Kid can transform into.

Here is the analysis of the abilities and stats of each mask form:

Diamond Powers are performed by pressing SPEED+START

(to avoid pausing the game, hold SPEED first then press START)

Kid Chameleon – the basic starting character, super cool guy as you can see above

Health: 2

Sprite Size: 1

Pros/Abilities: hitting jump a second time will allow The Kid to grab ledges

Comments: This form can be used to “go Rambo” through a tough area with its high health. The bigger diamond power makes this form even better for it, and the extra hit point stays even when you change to another form.

Red Stealth – the ninja looking dude

Health: 3

Sprite Size: 1

Pros/Abilities: best jumping capabilities of any form, can perform a front melee attack, can perform a downward jump attack to break rock/ice blocks

Comments: This versatile form is great for getting through obstacles. Also, formidable at killing enemies since most get hurt from being jumped on. Samurai Haze is the only diamond power that affects bosses.

Beserker – badass rhino form

Health: 3

Sprite Size: 1

Pros/Abilities: can ram which breaks rock/ice blocks as well as instantly kills certain enemies, also can push iron blocks

The most legendary game from the Playstation console is on XboxLive Arcade. Play as Alucard, son of Dracula, on a huge quest through a maze of castle rooms against hundreds of different monsters and demons. This game packs enough weapons, armors, unique abilities, and secrets to keep you playing for days. This is one adventure you do not want to miss out on!

Pros: Mass quantity of weapons, armor/shields, cloaks, and accessories allows for hundreds of different combinations and strategies, shapeshifting and spellcasting fit into the game nicely, level design and background art are simply beautiful, free roam of an enormous castle feels great, truly memorable avatar for Alucard, smooth game controls, unique boss fights, hundreds of different enemies to fight and conquer…did I mention you’re the son of Dracula? Sweetness, I know.

Cons: Voice acting could be better, late game can become rather easy for skilled players, to get 100% completion you must cover all squares on the map which is very tedious

Times are tough. Money is tight. Do yourself a favor, go buy Super Meat Boy on XboxLive Arcade for an astonishing amount of game value.

Pros: Incredibly responsive character control, intense and thrilling soundtrack of music, all skill levels can enjoy, charming character skits with equally charming characters, large quantity of unique levels and multiple characters make the replay value superb….oh and Meat Boy is that dude.